Scenic Rhone cruise III

The next stop was Gorges de l’Ardèche, hailed as the Grand Canyon of Europe.

The next stop was Gorges de l’Ardèche, hailed as the Grand Canyon of Europe. It was formed by twists and turns of the Ardèche River as it winds its way to The Rhône. It is visually spectacular and dates back more than 110 million years!

The walled town of Viviers is yet another beautiful town and is the gateway to Provence. It was founded in the 5th century and is a place where time seems to stand still. Local guide Janette Benour-Salvatore said there are measures in place to keep it that way. If people wish to paint their shutters, they must choose from a chosen colour selection.

Centuries ago, Viviers thrived with over 30,000 residents. Now there is just a fraction of that number but it is sufficiently important to be home to the region’s Bishop of France’s smallest cathedral.

A heritage discovery trail leads to Viviers’ architectural treasures. Livinia was most impressed by the town hall which was the bishop’s palace until 1986.

The 18th century Hôtel de Roqueplane is now the seat of the diocese. Cathedral of St Vincent is Romanesque, flamboyant Gothic and 18th century in style and has a marble high altar. Its Gobelins tapestries have their own history. There were six acquired by the bishop and three were stolen. They were recovered in Italy in 1980 and the policeman who found them put them in his car and drove them back to France. His actions probably saved years of red tape and legal wrangles. The people of Viviers remain in his debt.

The 16th century Knights' House (Maison des Chevaliers) has a magnificent Renaissance façade and is decorated with medallioned busts. The Grande Rue has elegant 18th century mansions of Beaulieu and Tourville.

Another special Scenic experience was being treated to a performance by the cathedral’s resident organist. The sound filled the tiny Medieval space and without exception, everyone had goosebumps.

Some guests opted to return to the ship and relax. Livinia chose to make the most of the sunshine and see more of the countryside around Ardèche Canyon. Her Scenic Freechoice was an afternoon kayak and while it was not a long journey downstream, there was plenty to see.

The Pont d’Arc is a natural bridge formed by waterflow. It is the natural entrance to the Ardèche Canyon. In the near vicinity is the Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc Cave, containing the earliest known Palaeolithic cave paintings, about 30,000 years old

The 49 metre high and 300 metre long Pont du Gard Aqueduct was built over 2000 years ago, just before the Christian era. It was to allow the aqueduct of Nîmes to cross the Gare River. The Roman architects and hydraulic engineers created a technical and artistic masterpiece.

After all the exercise, history and culture, Scenic Emerald was very welcoming. Cruising with Scenic is such an effortless way to travel. Everything happens around you as you watch the spectacular scenery slip by. Every crew member is committed to fulfilling the Scenic promise of a journey full of everything that makes a perfect holiday.

The Space-Ship’s sailing schedule sticks to daylight hours so you don’t miss a thing as far as sightseeing goes and there is plenty of time at stops as it winds its way down the river.

Life on the Rhône is very special. Its size and power means lots of trade and commercial traffic and it is all regulated by several locks. It’s beautiful and varied and as you head towards Tarascon-sur-Rhône, it becomes more rugged and had a more Mediterranean feel. As the ship slowly cruises there is time to take in the scenery and see subtle changes, right down to the architecture.

Further into Provence are more vineyards and a name revered by wine lovers around the world is Châteauneuf-du-Pape – New Castle of the Popes. For wine lovers the visit is be a highlight. Others just may be converted into becoming a wine lover.

The ruins of a Medieval castle sit on a hill overlooking the village and dominating the landscape to the south. It was built in the 14th century for Pope John XXII, the second of the popes who resided in Avignon.

As well as the white rocks, the region relies on the fierce north-westerly wind known as the Mistral. Winds can be unpopular, but in Châteauneuf-du-Pape they are a blessing. The Mistral is powerful, chasing rain away, so when it does rain, it’s not for long. Clouds disappear but the Mistral continues to blow, drying the vineyards and that makes it very easy to be organic. The wind protects the vines naturally and keeps them in excellent condition.

The Maison Brotte, an independent family business for three generations, was founded in 1931 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape by Charles Brotte, a pioneer in the bottling of wines of the Rhône Valley.

The business of wine merchant-producer was developed with the mark ‘Père Anselme’ thanks to its emblematic Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine ‘La Fiole du Pape’, an original and exclusive bottle designed in 1952. Today it is the best-selling bottle of Châteauneuf du Pape in the world – 400,000 bottles a year.

Today the vineyard is run by Laurent Brotte, grandson of the founder and resident wine expert showed just why they sell 1.4 million bottles to restaurants, wine cellars and private collectors each year.

The historic town is famous for its powerful, full-bodied, spicy red wines made predominantly from the classic southern Rhône trio of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. An impressive eighteen grape varieties can be used to make Châteauneuf wines but, in practice, these three grapes make up the vast majority of the appellation's red wines.

Grenache is the king of the Châteauneuf grapes. It is used in every Châteauneuf red to some extent, and many are made entirely from it. The variety performs better in the vineyards there than anywhere else in France.

The vineyards also produce white wines – just as powerful as the reds - and based on the rustic southern French varieties Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Clairette and Bourboulenc.

More wine is produced in Châteauneuf-du-Pape than the entire northern Rhône, and it’s small, white rocks from the ancient riverbed which sets the vineyards apart. They drain water very well, catch the sun during the day and release it at sunset. All of those things are very important for sweet, ripe fruit.

Next destination was Avignon, known for its beauty, history and cultural riches. The city is enclosed by almost 4 kilometres of giant stone walls known as ramparts and sits high above the Rhône. It is a warren of cobbled streets, lantern-lit passageways and architectural treasures.

It has a history of acrimony and was consistently fought over, occupied and the centre of papal and political intrigue. Even though civilisation there dates back to 4,000BC, it was the arrival of the Romans, followed by Christianity, that turned Avignon into one of Europe’s biggest and most important settlements. Its key position on the Rhône meant it was coveted by Gothic, Saracen and Frankish tribes throughout the early Middle Ages.

From 1309 and 1377, Avignon was under the seat of Catholic popes and remained under papal rule until becoming part of France in 1791.

In the town centre is the Palais des Papes, a remarkable structure built as fortification in 1252 and home to popes. It can be seen from almost everywhere in Avignon and has a floor-space covering 15,000 square metres. From there power was administered throughout Christendom, ensuring the surrounding region, particularly around Châteauneuf-du-Pape, became known for its excellent wines.

The Palais des Papes is one of France’s most popular monuments with hundreds of thousands of people visiting each year, but only a select few dine inside. Another Scenic Enrich door opened and with Palace guide Phillip Bonfiglio there was plenty of time for a tour of the indulgent interiors. It was evocative to stand at the window where the pope once waved and blessed the faithful below.

A fabulous three-course dinner accompanied by a classical concert within the magnificent palace was certainly a once in a lifetime experience.

The remains of the Saint-Bénezet Bridge, also known as Pont d’Avignon, was the starting point for a tour of Avignon, and with guide Gillan Bongiovanni everyone heard about the bridge and its impressive engineering.

Spanning the Rhône between Villeneuve-lès-Avignon and Avignon, it was built between 1177 and 1185. It was destroyed forty years later during the Albigensian Crusade when Louis VIII of France laid siege. It was rebuilt with twenty-two arches which tended to collapse when the river flooded. It was abandoned in the middle of the 17th century, and the four surviving arches on the river bank are believed to have been built in 1345 by Pope Clement VI.

The Chapel of Saint Nicholas sits on the second pier of the bridge. It was built in the second half of the 12th century but has been substantially altered.

Place de l’Horloge – Clock Tower Square – is in the heart of the city. The 19th century city hall is on one side and the National Opera Theatre is immediately to its right. There are terrace cafés along two sides and the Belle Epoque carousel is at the top end.

The clock tower was built in 1471 with a clockwork Jacquemard at the top to ring the bell. The original Jacquemards are on display in the Calvet Museum. Ironically, the famous clock is barely visible from the square.

Avignon’s claim to fame in the culinary stakes is ice-cream. Delightful little shops sell ice-cream and sorbet in every flavour imaginable. Buy a single scoop in a crispy cone and chances are you will back-up for more. Maybe in a dish garnished with fruit and cream and wonder how you could fit it all in – until the last spoonful.

Avignon is bathed in extraordinarily brilliant light which has long attracted artists and painters, as well as those seeking cultural diversion. The post-war annual theatre festival, founded in 1947, earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. It was crowned Europe’s City of Culture in 2000 and has become a hub for contemporary art, thanks in a large part to a €100 million gift of artworks by gallery owner Yvon Lambert.

Visiting local markets on a Freechoice option with Scenic’s head chef Florin Florea was great fun. At each port local produce and specialties are sourced and incorporated into Scenic Emerald’s menu. Some of the delights Chef Florea looks for in Avignon are olives, condiments and oysters. Local salts are wonderful and quite specific. There are salts to be used with meat, others with fish and some a scented with rose or the famous lavender of Provence.

Moulin Saint Jean is a fourth generation family-owned mill with over five thousand olive trees. Guide Marie Medina explained that weather has much input with the fantastic local cuisine and renowned local chef Fabien Morreale agreed and proved it by preparing a very French meal containing local olive oil, truffles and loads of intriguing flavours.

Every meal on board is an experience in itself, and guests on the Diamond Deck are treated to a degustation dinner at Table La Rive during the cruise.

Location

Highlights along the Rhône with Scenic.

Cost
Join Scenic on an all-inclusive luxury 13 day South of France River Cruise from Lyon to Nice. Prices start at $7,845 per person twin share. Book now and fly to France for free. Just for Getaway viewers, visit scenic.com.au/getaway now to receive an extra $250 per person off 2017 South of France River Cruises. To book or attend an information session visit scenic.com.au or call 138 128.